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Studies have shown that music has huge positive effects on early childhood development. Exposure to music-singing, playing instruments, dancing, creating melodies, or listening-fosters many early learning capabilities, including: Speech development, Listening skills, Patterning and sequence (early math skills), Rhythm/beat/timing, Social skills, Emotional development, Memory, and Physical coordination.
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Try to pick one item from each category to provide a wide variety of music-making experiences.
Repeat the same songs on multiple days until they become familiar. I included some they might already be familiar with from music class. Children thrive on this repetition.
Once you have some familiar songs, begin to introduce new ones. Try to have a balance between known songs and new ones.
Have fun and enjoy this time together!
Vocal Explorations: Use these for a warm-up. Make your voice follow the shape of the picture. Remember to use your light, high singing voice.
Vocal Explorations: Use these for a warm-up. Make your voice follow the shape of the picture. Remember to use your light, high singing voice.
Vocal Exploration PagesCreate Your Own
Make your own shapes and use your voice to sing them. Try making shapes out of yarn on the floor, pipe cleaners, sidewalk chalk, markers.
Toss a ball or beanbag and make your voice follow the curve.
Use a flashlight to draw designs to sing.
Explore different animal sounds.
Finger Plays and Action Songs: Poems and songs with movements. Many of these are traditional songs you or your child might already know.
Finger Plays and Action Songs: Poems and songs with movements. Many of these are traditional songs you or your child might already know.
Click the thumbnail picture to view the words
Two Little Apples
Five Little Pumpkins
I Have Ten Little Fingers
Ten Little Candles
Ten Little Soldiers
Mr. Lynn
Eensy Wensy Spider
A Sailor Went to Sea
Bling, Blang
The Noble Duke of York
Head, Shoulders, Knees&Toes
Wheels On the Bus
Echo Songs and Fragment Songs: One person is the leader, and the rest give an answer. Sometimes it is an echo. Sometimes it is different. You can use the recordings to learn the songs. Once they know them, let your child be the leader.
Echo Songs and Fragment Songs: One person is the leader, and the rest give an answer. Sometimes it is an echo. Sometimes it is different. You can use the recordings to learn the songs. Once they know them, let your child be the leader.
Click the thumbnail picture to view the words.
Kin. Hello Song
No More Pie
The Littlest Worm
John the Rabbit
Song Tales: Songs that tell a story. Enjoy listening until you are familiar enough to join in.
Song Tales: Songs that tell a story. Enjoy listening until you are familiar enough to join in.
This link has a playlist of twelve songs that have been turned into books. You can enjoy listening to the songs while they sing and show the pages. Choose your favorite to listen to enough times to learn the song.
Steady Beat and Movement Exploration
Steady Beat and Movement Exploration
Songs with movements that keep a beat. Click the thumbnail picture to view the words.
Aiken Drum
My Aunt Came Back
Mother Goonie Bird
Chop, Chop
Movement Activities: These activities can be done with any music of your choice
Movement Activities: These activities can be done with any music of your choice
Duet for 2 Body Parts: Choose any two body parts. How many ways can you think of for those two parts to move together? Try moving the close and apart, matching or different movements, touching or not.
Glue Dancing: Choose one body part to be "glued" to the floor/table/wall, etc. The part that is glued can not move from that spot. How can the rest of your body move to the music without moving the glued down part?
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